Chapter 3

Akari was staring out the window when she first felt a sudden chill. With a shiver, she shook her head just as the teacher began announcing the last items of the day. Ryou caught her eye and nodded at her curiously, as if to ask what was wrong. Akari shrugged, and the two of them turned their attention to the teacher who announced that there was to be a new student coming in the next day.

Looking straight at Akari, the teacher said, "Ichikawa-san, I leave the new student in your hands. It'll be your job to show them around and make sure they know where they're going and what classes are about."

As soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Akari felt her hair being ruffled teasingly by Rita, while Ryou sat surrounded by a few of his friends. Grinning down at her, Rita teased, "So you're teacher's favorite then? Always getting to show the new student around? Give someone else the chance to be the cute new student's best friend!"

Akari giggled and shoved Rita off, saying, "I don't know what you're talking about, Rita. They're not all cute new students, and besides that this one might be a girl. The teacher never said you know."

Rita rolled her eyes before pointing to where her brother was laughing with a tall fairly good-looking boy with a baseball cap. "Who got to show Ren-kun around when he first came here? And who did he confess to within a month of being at this school?" Rita asked her friend, watching as Akari shrunk a little in her seat apologetically.

"I turned him down, you still have a chance," Akari pouted as she stood up, grabbing her bag. "Besides, you know that the only person I wouldn't turn away is-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Rita waved her hand around. "Honestly, it's a wonder how you two can manage to live under the same roof without sneaking into each other's bedrooms at night the way you did when you were younger."

Akari turned a bright red and began to stutter, waving her hands frantically as she said, "Th-that was ages ago! And we didn't know any better, we were just kids! Besides, I'd be happy with him just seeing me as a girl and not a friend or sister…"

Rita shook her head at Akari and then pointed to herself, exclaiming, "I'M a sister. You're obviously not one, considering how gently he treats you. Think about it, Akari, he totally likes you the same way you like him."

"Rita don't joke about something like that!" Akari pouted even more, but before Rita could open her mouth to continue her case she was tapped lightly on the head by a book. Turning around, Rita found herself looking up into her brother's face, where he wore a displeased look.

"Are you teasing Akari again?" Ryou asked, one eyebrow raised while Akari suddenly became severely interested in the floor. Closing her mouth into a tight line, Rita glared at her brother before shrugging and leaning back in her chair. Ryou, seeing this, sighed before looking at where Akari was still staring with extreme concentration at the floor.

"Come on, Akari," he said, grabbing her bag, "let's go home. Rita, you coming with us?" Rita eyed the two of them before standing up and grabbing her own bag.

With a wink in Akari's direction, Rita replied, "Nah, I think I'll have to pass on that. You two go have fun…I'll go home with Kyoko. See you at dinner."

The two were walking in silence when Ryou noticed what looked like the edge of an envelope sticking out of Akari's bag. Reaching down, he grabbed it. As Akari turned and watched, she blushed furiously as Ryou examined the pink envelope.

"What's-" he started to say, but found himself unable to finish as Akari snatched the paper out of his hand and backed away, blushing furiously. She'd been hiding the envelope from even Rita, and she DEFINITELY wasn't ready to let Ryou see it.

It was embarrassing enough that she was writing out a confession; how much more embarrassing would it be if the one she was confessing to was to find out beforehand?

As she attempted to stutter out explanations, Ryou's face grew stony. The way Akari was stumbling over her words, it was obviously a letter of confession, although to who he had no idea. The thought of Akari professing feelings for someone had him cross, although he was loathe to admit it to her. Turning away from his friend, he pouted and said, "So you can't tell me who it's even for?"

Akari felt terrible, watching Ryou's back and knowing he was angry that she was keeping secrets from him. Shuffling her feet, she shoved the pink envelope further into her bag before coming up behind her friend and softly tugging on the sleeve of his jacket. When he turned his head slightly to look down at her, he had to keep from blushing as he took in the sight of her looking at the ground, her own face on fire.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "I promise you'll find out….I just have to finish it first."

Ryou was about to say his own apologies when his cellphone rang, jarring the two of them and interrupting their conversation. Akari watched curiously as he flipped the phone open and held it up to his ear, listening carefully.

"Mmmhmm. Yeah. Okay. Bye."

She made a face as he closed it again and shoved into his bag. Leaning away from him she stuck her tongue out at him and asked, "Must all your conversations be so…detailed?"

With a grin, he lightly pushed her before heading off in a different direction from where they'd been headed. As Akari feel into step with him, she watched him rummage into his bag to produce his wallet. Counting the bills there, he sighed before looking at her with a half-smile and saying, "That was Mom. Seems she's low on some groceries and wanted us to stop by the store and grab a few things for her."

Before Akari could ask, he gave her a full on grin and said, "Yes, I have extra money for a treat. Come on, let's go." He blushed a bit, before looking away and reaching down for her hand as they entered a more crowded road. As people jostled them, he clutched her hand tighter, the pleased blush spreading when her tiny hand squeezed back in reassurance.

He was glad she couldn't see his face, although in looking away he failed to see how red her own features were.

Black eyes watched Akari as she carried a shopping basket and skipped beside Ryou. Raking his eyes over her approvingly, the figure stepped slightly out of the shadows and grinned to himself. The river spirit's daughter was quite pretty; in fact, far prettier than he'd expected. Carelessly shoving his blonde hair out of his face, the figure looked even closer at Akari, practically salivating as he took in her feminine features and delicate looks.

She was so innocent that it was almost unbearable for him to just stand there doing nothing.

Tossing his head up high, he confidently strode over towards where the two teens had their heads bent over a box, reading the ingredients. Without seeming obvious, he lightly bumped against Akari.

"Wah!" she made a small sound of alarm as she teetered forwards. Quickly Ryou reached out to catch her but was surprised when the young man who'd bumped into her grabbed her arm and pulled her upright. Giving her a charming smile, the young man left his hand on her arm as he allowed her straighten herself up. Once she was standing fine, he retracted his hand before bowing slightly.

"My apologies," he said in a silky voice, sounding as sincere as he could.

Akari blushed a bit at his manner and looks before looking away and murmuring, "No, you're fine." Before she could say more, her eyes widened in surprise as one of Ryou's arms went around her. Holding her close, Ryou looked at the stranger cautiously while saying, "Thank you for catching her." The stranger bowed again before brightening up.

"I recognize those uniforms!" he exclaimed, "I have one!"

Ryou looked at him questioningly before asking, "What do you mean? Do you go to Mizumoto High too?"

With a laugh the strange boy shook his head and said, "Well I will be going there. I start tomorrow." Recognition dawned in Akari's eyes and she pulled out of Ryou's arm. Stepping forward, she offered him a hand and a bright smile, saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you! My name is Ichikawa Akari, and this is my good friend Tanaka Ryou. You'll be in our class, class one b."

His dark eyes roamed Akari again, earning a frown from Ryou as the young man introduced himself to the two of them.

"My name is Kurai Kage, and I'm honored to have such a lovely girl in my class." He gave her another playboy smile, this time causing Ryou to glare at him before the taller boy pulled Akari back towards him. Turning to go, Ryou said over his shoulder, "It's nice to meet you. We'll see you in class tomorrow, Kurai-san. Good-bye."

As Akari protested that they should show Kurai around, the young man waved to them, watching as they exited the supermarket.

"Geez, Ryou! What was that about?" Akari complained as the two walked home without the groceries they'd been sent to get. In a huff, Ryou turned to his companion and shook his head as if to clear it of the image of how Akari had blushed so easily when Kurai had talked to her. Without thinking, Ryou snapped, "Don't be so familiar with strangers, Akari! You don't know what they'll do to you!"

Instantly he regretted his words as a look of extreme hurt fell over her face. Eyes downcast, she kicked at the ground and muttered an apology.

"Sorry, I was just trying to be friendly to the new student…" she said, her mouth set in an upset line.

"Akari, that's not what I meant, I-"

"Let's just go home." Leaving behind a speechless Ryou, Akari took off towards the house with a straight back and a frown on her face.

Kurai didn't venture into the Human World without good reason, but as he leaned against a wall casually and watched the two friends fight he smiled to himself. This was turning out to be more entertaining than he'd thought.

One look at the two had told him they were close, and when he'd seen how protective the boy was of Akari it was blatantly obvious that he was in love with her. When Akari got upset at his words, it was just as obvious that she felt the same way about him. Breaking the two apart would be far too much fun, although he could tell that it wouldn't be easy. It would have to be a quick separation, because if he left them together for much longer than the two would never part.

His tongue roamed over a slightly pointed tooth before his eyes flashed at the thought of his reward.

It had been far too long since he'd chased after something so tantalizing.

So yeah...updates on this story are going to be far between each other, mostly because I know where things are going but don't know quite how to put them into words the way I want XD I literally wrote this chapter five times before I decided to post XD

But yeah. Anyways XD Thanks for reading/reviewing, and look for whenever this story updates again! You guys are awesome! :)
(Also, have an AWESOME new year!)